H5N1

Canada: More on the VIA Rail cases

Via The Star: Woman dies, three fall ill aboard Toronto-bound VIA Rail train. Excerpt:

An elderly woman is dead and three other passengers were taken to hospital Saturday after developing flu-like symptoms on an eastbound VIA Rail train. 

The train, headed to Toronto from Vancouver, was stopped in Parry Sound, Ont., for six hours starting at 5 a.m. after an 86-year-old woman was reported to be unconscious and unresponsive. Emergency crews boarded the train and confirmed the woman had died. 

The two compartments occupied by the passengers were quarantined, and the train arrived in Toronto just before 4 p.m. 

The train left Vancouver on Christmas Day. The woman who later died had boarded in Edmonton on Dec. 26 with two relatives. 

Joanne Woodward, a spokeswoman for the Ontario Ministry of Health, said they are still awaiting test results to determine the cause of the illness. 

A post-mortem examination is expected Sunday. The Ontario Provincial Police are withholding the woman’s identity until all family members are notified.

Norway: Boy dies of H1N1 infection

Via Xinhua: Norwegian boy dies of swine flu infection. The link below will take you to a report in Norwegian. Excerpt:

An 11-year old boy from the southern Norwegian county of Telemark has died of a swine virus infection, the Norwegian-language newspaper Aftenposten reported on Friday. 

The boy had been seriously ill for two weeks before being transferred on Christmas Eve from a local hospital in Porsgrunn to the Riks Hospital in Oslo, capital of Norway, said Bjoernar Nyen, a doctor in the boy's hometown. 

Nyen confirmed that the boy died of influenza A caused by the H1N1 virus, which is also called the swine flu. 

The boy's immediate family members were being monitored by medical workers, according to the Telemark Daily. No other details about the death were available. 

Several schoolmates of the boy were also ill but their condition was not life threatening. 

The H1N1 virus infection is regarded as an ordinary seasonal flu, said the doctor. 

"Some can be very sick and very occasionally it gets as serious as this case. But most are not sick at all," said Nyen. 

The school has informed all students and their parents of the case and gave no special advice other than proper hand washing and good hygiene.

UK: Norovirus-hit Surrey hospital closed to visitors 'for days'

Via BBC News: Norovirus-hit Surrey hospital closed to visitors 'for days'. Excerpt:

A hospital which has stopped visitors for a third time because of norovirus says the ban will remain in force for "a few days". 

East Surrey Hospital was shut to visitors on 27 December after the virus affected patients in five wards. 

Several wards at the hospital which serves parts of Surrey and Sussex, were previously closed in November and on 18 December in a bid to contain the bug. 

The hospital said the situation would be reviewed "on a daily basis". 

Dr Des Holden, the hospital's medical director, said: "Although we are predicting it will be a few days before we can reopen again, we are reviewing it every day." 

The hospital opened its doors to visitors on Christmas Eve, but had to halt visits again on 27 December.

Body of 'India's Daughter' arrives in Delhi from Singapore

Via NDTV.com, where it is already Sunday: Body of 'India's Daughter' arrives in Delhi from Singapore. I note that the security people far outnumbered the protesters, which if nothing else reflects the anxiety the authorities must feel. Excerpt:

Like yesterday, all routes to India Gate in the heart of the capital will be closed today. Ten metro stations - Pragati Maidan, Mandi House, Barakhamba Road, Rajiv Chowk, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Race Course, Jor Bagh and Khan Market - will also be shut. (Read) 

Five thousand policemen and security officers, some of them in riot gear, were posted yesterday to ward off demonstrators who strayed. Close to 3000 protesters gathered at Jantar Mantar, the designated spot for demonstrations; some of them lay down with black ribbons across their mouths. 

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit tried to join them, but was heckled after she lit a candle and was then taken away by her security. Protesters said they objected to her presence because they do not want a political tint to today's sombre mood. (Read) 

For 13 days, the student, who used to take tuition classes to pay for her own education according to some reports, fought for her life. She endured three major surgeries, brain injury and a cardiac arrest in a hospital in Delhi. But this was not a woman who was ready to give up. In scribbled messages while on life support systems, she reportedly asked her family if the six men who had damaged her so badly that her intestines had to be removed had been caught and punished. 

They were charged with her murder yesterday; their trial is likely to begin on January 3; the government has promised daily hearings to ensure a verdict is delivered quickly.

Canada: Woman suffering flu-like symptoms dies on Via Rail passenger train

Via The Globe and Mail: Woman suffering flu-like symptoms dies on Via Rail passenger train. My wife and I were on that train last September, and the thought of a fatality on that wonderful journey never crossed our minds. Excerpt:

A woman was found dead on a Via Rail passenger train early Saturday morning. 

The company says the Vancouver-to-Toronto train stopped near Parry Sound, Ont., because four passengers were showing flu-like symptoms. 

Emergency crews boarded the train and confirmed that a woman described in a Via Rail news release as elderly had died. 

The news release says the other three passengers were taken to hospital for treatment. 

Via says the train was about six hours late getting to Toronto. 

The train had left Vancouver on Christmas Day night. 

Via says a quarantine was placed on the two rooms the passengers were in, it’s not believed anyone else was in those compartments. 

Health officials say it’s not believed that other passengers or the train’s crew were exposed to those taken off the train.

Nicaragua: Six dengue cases in Nueva Guinea

Via El Nuevo Diario.com.ni: Seis casos de dengue en Nueva Guinea. [Six dengue cases in Nueva Guinea] No, it's not Papua New Guinea, but a Nicaraguan town in the southeast of the country. Excerpt, with my translation:

Los médicos del Hospital “Jacinto Hernández”, de Nueva Guinea, están “Ojo al Cristo” con el cambio de clima, lo que ha provocado enfermedades respiratorias y la presencia del dengue clásico en la zona. 

Doctors in Jacinto Hernández Hospital in Nueva Guinea are eye to eye with the weather change that has caused respiratory diseases and the presence of classic dengue in the region.

Según la epidemióloga Nicolasa Jarquín, en los últimos meses la atención a pacientes ha aumentado en Nueva Guinea. Diariamente se atiende un promedio de 50 personas solo en el centro hospitalario del lugar, sin tomar en cuenta los que llegan a otros centros asistenciales ubicados en diferentes comunidades, que suman cantidades similares. 

According to epidemiologist Nicolasa Jarquín, patient care has increased in recent months in Nueva Guinea. In the area's main hopsital, an average of 50 persons a day are cared for, not counting those who arrive at other centres in different communities that count similar numbers.

Las enfermedades por las que los pacientes --especialmente niños y adultos mayores-- llegan al hospital, son, sobre todo, afecciones respiratorias. 

Patients, especially children and seniors, arrive at the hospital mostly with respiratory infections. 

En lo que va del presente año, se han realizado 95 pruebas para detectar el dengue, y se han confirmado seis casos positivos del tipo clásico en las zonas urbana y rural, pero no se reporta dengue hemorrágico, por lo que según Jarquín, la situación está bajo control.

So far this year the hospital has carried out 95 dengue tests and six classic dengue cases have been confirmed in urban and rural regions. Hemorrhagic dengue has not been reported; Jarquín says that's why the situation is under control.

US: State Department issues travel warning for Haiti

Via the US Department of State website, a December 28 travel warning about Haiti. Excerpt:

U.S. citizens have been victims of violent crime, including murder and kidnapping, predominantly in the Port-au-Prince area. No one is safe from kidnapping, regardless of occupation, nationality, race, gender, or age. 

In recent months, travelers arriving in Port-au-Prince on flights from the United States were attacked and robbed shortly after departing the airport. At least two U.S. citizens were shot and killed in robbery and kidnapping incidents in 2012. Haitian authorities have limited capacity to deter or investigate such violent acts, or prosecute perpetrators. 

The ability of local authorities to respond to emergencies is limited and in some areas nonexistent. Should you find yourself in an emergency, local health, police, judicial, and physical infrastructure limitations mean there are few local resources available to help resolve the problem. For this reason, the Embassy limits its staff’s travel in areas outside of Port-au-Prince. This in turn constrains our ability to provide emergency services to U.S. Citizens outside of Port-au-Prince. 

U.S. Embassy personnel are under an Embassy-imposed curfew of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. and must remain at home or at another safe facility during curfew hours. Additionally, there are restrictions on travel by Embassy staff in other areas or times. This, too, may constrain the Embassy’s ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens outside Port-au-Prince. For additional details on restrictions on staff travel within Haiti, please see our Country Specific Information for Haiti. 

The Haitian National Police (HNP), with assistance from MINUSTAH, are responsible for keeping the peace and rendering assistance. However, given the possibility and unpredictability of protests, including the potential (as with any protest) to become violent, its ability to assist U.S. citizens during disturbances is very limited. Please see our website for additional information on how the Department of State assists U.S. citizens during a crisis. 

Haiti's infrastructure remains in poor condition and unable to fully support even normal activity, much less crisis situations. U.S. government-facilitated evacuations, such as the evacuation that took place after the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, occur only when no safe commercial alternatives exist. 

Medical facilities, including ambulance services, are particularly weak. Some U.S. citizens injured in accidents and others with serious health concerns have been unable to find necessary medical care in Haiti and have had to arrange and pay for medical evacuation to the United States. 

Given these conditions and the cost of private evacuations, we strongly encourage visitors to Haiti to obtain evacuation insurance, including for medical issues that may arise.   

While incidents of cholera have declined significantly, cholera persists in many areas of Haiti. Prior to travel, U.S. citizens should obtain information about cholera and other health-related issues by visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov.

This certainly won't be a boost to Haiti's tourism industry, and it doesn't speak well for my own Canadian government's efforts to train the Haitian police force.

India: Protesters defy security lock down to mourn Delhi gangrape victim's death (updated)

The Indian media continue to be absorbed by this issue, with multiple stories on every website. (The story is also on Canadian radio as I write this.) Here is a report on today's demonstrations, which have mercifully been peaceful, from India Today.in: Protesters defy security lock down to mourn Delhi gangrape victim's death. Click through for many photographs and the full report. Excerpt:

A series of peaceful marches and protests were on Saturday held in the Indian capital, including one at Jantar Mantar, to mourn the death of the 23-year-old gangrape victim even as India Gate and Raisina Hill were kept out of bounds for people. 

Policemen were deployed in strength in and around India Gate and Raisina Hill as well as other parts of the capital to ensure that the protests remain peaceful besides shutting down of Delhi Metro stations near the war memorial. 

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit requested Home Minister SushilKumar Shinde to lift restrictions on holding peaceful demonstration in memory of the victim in and around India Gate. 

In one of the protests, JNU students marched from their campus to Munirka bus stop from where the girl boarded the bus in which she was gangraped and brutally assaulted on December 16 allegedly by six men. 

The students announced that they will hold a night vigil at the same spot on New Year Eve demanding strong laws to punish sexual offenders. 

Activists of Left parties staged a peace march from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Brinda Karat. 

"Unless we do this, such incidents will repeat," she said. 

Asked about sexist comments by politicians, she said it shows the mindset of people and that "action should be taken against them in Parliament". 

At Jantar Mantar, a number of people sat on a silent protest. However, later there were sloganeering and demands for immediate punishment of the culprits. 

The mourners also protested against the security lock down of India Gate and Raisina Hill where violent demonstrations were witnessed last weekend over the rape. 

People started gathering at Jantar Mantar here at around 10 AM and sat in silence. 

Aam Aadmi Party leaders Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kumar Vishwas also joined the protest along with some of their supporters with their mouth tied with black cloth. 

Kejriwal tweeted, "her death is a matter of shame and sorrow for all of us. Let's resolve that we will not let her death go in vain. 

"Aren't we all responsible for her death? Can we all now do something so that half of humanity starts feeling safe amongst us?" he said.

Update: Salon.com has a good but appalling report on how every major Indian political party is fielding candidates who have been charged with rape or other crimes against women.

UN names Paul Farmer to lead anti-cholera fight in Haiti

Via the United Nations News Centre: Renowned US doctor appointed to support UN efforts to eliminate cholera in Haiti. Excerpt:

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed renowned United States physician Paul Farmer to help galvanize support to eliminate cholera in Haiti, where the disease has already claimed over 7,750 lives. 

The naming of the Special Advisor for Community-Based Medicine and Lessons from Haiti comes just weeks after Mr. Ban launched a new initiative to help eliminate cholera in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the two nations that make up the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. 

The initiative will invest in prevention, treatment, and education, and focus on the extension of clean drinking water and sanitation systems as well as the use of an oral vaccine to combat cholera, an acute intestinal infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water. 

Dr. Farmer served as the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Haiti from 2009 to 2012, during which he assisted in advancing the country’s economic and social development. He will use the data gathered from that experience to advise on lessons learned and how those can be applied in Haiti and other settings, according to the announcement of his appointment.

Lesson #1: Don't hire peacekeepers from countries with cholera outbreaks unless you've made sure the soldiers are cholera-free themselves.

India: Delhi police lock down India Gate, Rajpath

If uncontrolled guns are a public health problem (and they are), so is unpunished, unprevented rape. With the death of the 23-year-old student in Singapore, India is teetering on the edge of enormous public protest. 

Via CNN-IBN: Delhi Police lock down India Gate, Rajpath. The protests are being not only televised, but tweeted: #Delhiprotest is one hashtag, and #DelhiGangRape is another. The hashtag #Delihipolice is also active.

I gather her name was #Nirbhaya, but she's been known in recent days as #Braveheart. One police constable has already died in earlier protests, and I think more people may die before the weekend is over.

Among the international media covering the story: The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian, and ABC News in Australia.

As for the Indian media, click through to ABYZ News Links and take your pick.